"I have overslept myself. Is it late?"
"Between nine and ten. My lady is up, and at breakfast with the Colonel and Lady Frances."
Alice rose the instant the maid left the room, and made haste to dress, vexed with herself for sleeping so long. She was nearly ready when Hughes came in again.
"If ever I saw such confusion as that jewel-case was in!" cried she, in as pert and grumbling a tone as she dared to use. "The bracelets were thrown together without law or order—just as if they had been so much glass and tinsel from the Lowther Arcade."
"It was Lady Sarah," replied Alice. "I would have put them straight, but she told me to leave it for you. I thought she might prefer that you should do it."
"Of course her ladyship is aware there's nobody but myself knows their right places in it," returned Hughes, consequentially. "I could go to that or to the other jewel-box in the dark, ma'am, and take out any one thing my lady wanted, without disturbing the rest."
"I have observed that you have the gift of order," remarked Alice, with a smile. "It is very useful to those who possess it, and saves them much trouble and confusion."
"So it do, ma'am," said Hughes. "But I came to ask you for the diamond bracelet."
"The diamond bracelet!" echoed Alice. "What diamond bracelet! What do you mean, Hughes?"
"It is not in the box."